


Mismatched Misfits

by TooTiredToTry



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Deaf Clint Barton, M/M, Outside View, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 03:34:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19164988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooTiredToTry/pseuds/TooTiredToTry
Summary: Clint, the fuckwad who was used to being an outlier from the beginning, was then surrounded by four other fuckwads and a brilliantly beautiful god of thunder.





	Mismatched Misfits

Clint Barton was a piping hot mess of a person. Nine out of ten fights his hearing aids broke; they snapped, crackled, and popped. Tony has given Clint every 584 pairs very begrudgingly with a “Motherfuck you, fuckin’ Dumb and Dumber. Good God.”

 Clint had long resigned to the fact that he was destined to be a mistake long ago in the circus. When he met another mistake, Natasha Romanoff, he just couldn’t kill her. The fear that was in her shaking hand while he stood over her was the one human flaw he needed. He dropped his bow, held out his hand to her, and she took it. She then immediately flipped him over and stomped on his back.

“Who are you with,” She whispered in his ear.

“You, now, I guess,” And they’ve been best friends ever since.

Tony Stark was also a mistake. His broken laugh and tired eyes carried so much devastation. So during one of their nighttime conversations, when Tony quietly admitted to Clint at four in the morning about his childhood, Clint plucked him up and put him in his bag of misfits.

Steve Rogers was a difficult man to describe, but definitely a mistake. Tony had been obsessed with Steve since day one, but no matter what Tony says, Steve wasn’t perfect. Steve punched holes in his walls when civilians died, he cried when he remembered the ice, and he ate all of Clint’s food. Big mistake there.

Bruce Banner was a shy mistake. A scientist who made a big ass mistake. A green assed mistake.

Thor was physically incapable of being a mistake. He’s perfect.

So Clint, the fuckwad who was used to being an outlier from the beginning, was then surrounded by four other fuckwads and a brilliantly beautiful god of thunder.

—————

“Can you move your fucking foot?”

Tony glared at the blonde but slowly moved his foot. Steve smiled and sat on top of Tony, whom immediately protested.

“Hey, Fat Albert! Get your ass off me!”

“That’s too far.”

“I will stick the entire suit up your ass if you do not get up in three seconds.”

“Promise?”

“One,”

“Aww, Tony-“

“Two,”

“You’re all comfy and warm!”

“Three!”

Steve yelped and jumped up as Tony held up two fingers in a pinching manner. The two ran out of the room and a collective sigh resonated through the area.

When they all finally moved in, the two caught on like a house on fire after apologizing. Tony would sit on top of Steve during movie nights while Steve would rake his hand through Tony’s hair. But the months passed and the two became more domestic in their pining, with Steve always making double of everything he cooked so Tony could have some and Tony moving a humongous couch into his lab to fit Steve. It was frustratingly adorable.

But it’s been a year now and the team is tired of those twats. They’ve all told the two how the other feels, but both of them deny anything with longing smiles and a closed door. And then SHIELD collapsed.

———————

“Should we go help them?”

Clint and Tony were sat at the kitchen table watching the news from D.C.

“Clint, you know damn well that it is my day off.”

A hush settled over the room as the two men watched the muted screen.

———————

When James Buchanan Barnes walked into the Avengers living room, Clint was reading the subtitles to Dog Cops. His hearing aids broke in the fight of Avengers versus STRIKE (“ _Really, Clint? That’s the 585th pair in thirteen months. That is forty-five pairs every. Damn. Month_.”) and Stark was still fixing them.

Therefore, when Bucky dropped his bag with a rattling thunk, Clint had the trespasser pressed against the wall with a knife to his throat.

Steve had rushed in and separated the two, then Nat walked in and started signing when Clint didn’t respond to her voice.

_Clint; Bucky. He’s hella old and cranky. Don’t put any more knives to his throat, he has PTSD from HYDRA and we all know how bad that sucks... Where are your aids?_

_They broke. Dumbass STRIKE member took them out and fucking shot both of them._

_Ableist._

Steve rolled his eyes into the back of his head at that and started speaking to Bucky. (Probably explaining Clint being deaf.)

_So how was D.C.?_

_It was OK._

_Did you find any long lost friends too, or was that just a Rogers thing?_

_I feel like you’re fishing for me to say that you’re my only long time friend._

_Whaaaat? Me? I’m hurt-_

Two cold pieces of metal snapped into Clint’s ears and the world came barreling at him.

“Clintward, I’ve done it again. I’ve made bullet proof hearing aids, even though no one else but you will ever need them!”

“Fucking Tony! You can’t fucking do that! Warn a guy next time!”

“I did. You just didn’t hear me.”

Natasha snorted and turned to Stark.

“Did you see Stevie’s new friend?”

Tony raised an eyebrow as Clint worked the buds into more comfortable positions.

“Friends? He has those?”

“Yes, Tony. I do have friends. In fact, meet Buck. Bucky. Buckyballs. Buckyball Billwad. Buck-“

Bucky groaned from his corner and the attention of the room shifted to him.

Now that Clint was somewhat more convinced that Bucky wouldn’t kill him, he could take in more details.

Bucky’s brown hair was french braided into a neat bun (nice to know what Natasha’s priorities are) and little baby hairs lined his forehead. James was about an inch smaller than Steve, and his skin was much paler. It looked like a sheet of paper. His shoulders were broad, and his clothing looked a little worn for wear, even all the way to his toes.

“Bucky, this is Natasha; you already know her, that’s Clint, and he’s Tony,” Steve pointed to everyone respectively while Bucky’s gaze followed. Stark’s eyes widened and he stumbled toward the two bigger men, gaping.

“B-Bucky? Like, Captain America’s bestest, greatest, most important person in the world?”

His voice cracked on the last word. Natasha’s little sharp inhale didn’t help, but Steve just smiled and blushed.

“Tony, you know that the comics always exaggerated everything. I mean, one version said I stood nine feet tall.”

The engineer’s brows furrowed and his eyelashes stuttered.

“Um... who wants lunch,” Bruce asked, appearing out of nowhere.

“‘M not hungry,” said the low growl from the edge of the room.

“Aw, c’mon Buck. Can you at least get to know everyone?”

And that’s how Clint had lasagna with a legend amongst assassins on a Tuesday afternoon.

—————

Three months had passed and Bucky was a hit. He was reticent and hesitant for seven weeks and two days before he came around. His annoyed and pessimistic attitude towards everything was hilariously brutal; he even got Nat to laugh a few times.

Steve was so happy that his new friends and his old friend got along. His smile was so much brighter and he hugged everyone every chance he got. On movie nights, Bucky and Steve sat together, followed by Tony on the arm of the couch. Clint sat on the floor with Lucky while Natasha was on the futon. Bruce sat across Thor’s lap as they all clapped with the Friends theme song every Friday.

By month four, Bucky was adapted and Steve was beaming every second of the day. Rogers painted for Barnes, he went shopping with Bucky, and he took him to outings with the team; it was amazing. Nothing was unordinary when Bucky waved his hand for Clint at the dining table.

Where are your buds, diphthong?

Up your ass, Terminator.

I feel like I would’ve noticed you in there.

I’m a magical creature, Barnes.

Magical my ass. I wanna show you a thing on Twitter.

Twitter? What are you, 100?

Bucky’s eyes sparkled and his pearly whites flashed in a smile for a moment.

“Hey fuckers,” Natasha sauntered into the kitchenette and started to clink dishes around.

“Hey Nat,” Clint replied.

Bucky turned his head from Natasha back to Clint and squinted, causing Clint to giggle.

“You let me sign at you for three minutes, and made fun of me, and threatened the safety of my ass? For three minutes?”

Clint nodded.

“Yeah. It’s fun. I asked Tony to make the buds incognito for missions, but we all know that I just fuck with everyone. Well, everyone but you.”

“Fuck you, Barton.”

“I mean, we could try. You seem pretty big though.”

Bucky hacked an ugly noise as Natasha sat in between them.

“Boys, boys. Locker room talk is for the locker room.”

“You could join us,” Clint winked and she thumped his forehead.

“You two wouldn’t even last five minutes.”

Bucky coughed even louder as the two spies chuckled.

“Ladies did not talk that way back in my day.”

“Okay Grandpa. Let me know when your refractory period is done so I can go dig up Grandma,” Romanoff deadpanned.

Clint howled and grabbed her hand and held it up in the air, claiming her Champion.

“What did I just watch?”

Steve stood in the doorway with an incredulous look on his face. Clint exploded with laughter as Steve sat down on the other side of Bucky.

“Oh my fucking God,” Clint loosely chuckled to himself.

“Hey Stevie,” Bucky looked from Clint to the aforementioned, and gave a small smile.

“Hey Buck,” was murmured back in response.

Quiet settled the table, except little snickers from Clint once in a while.

After the third laughing session, Nat kicked him under the table and hissed, “Stop it.”

“Ow! What? You said you were gonna dig up fuckin’ Grandma so Bucky could fuck her! That’s fuckin’ hilarious.”

“Look at them!”

The two stopped their muttering to look at the other pair. Steve had his head on Bucky’s shoulder, and Buck was looking down shyly. No one even noticed the shuffling noises of someone leaving the room.

—————

“Has anyone seen Tony? I haven’t seen him in days,” Steve leaned against the wall looking concerned.

“He’s not in his shop?”

“If he is, then he’s invented an invisible potion or something.”

“Uh, I can go look,” Clint offered with a shrug and Steve grinned.

“Oh, pretty please.”

Clint groaned as he stood and bounced out.

It wasn’t odd for Stark to disappear for days, but for him to not be in his lab...

Lucky’s head popped from behind a doorway as he whined.

“Yes?”

Lucky whined louder.

“Okay, okay! What’s wrong?”

Lucky trotted under a chair, took a right, then led up a flight of stairs Clint hadn’t even known of. Inside the attic, Clint heard infinitesimal sobs and clinking glass. He crept in to see Tony curled in a ball with a blue glass box in his hand.

“Tony?”

At the sound of his name, the man looked up and sniffed. He smiled weakly and gave a little wave.

“H-Hey Clint. Wanna join the pity party?”

Clint winced, but didn’t hear any evidence of alcohol in Tony’s voice.

“Hey man,” Clint hummed lightly across the room.

He softly walked over and sat down next to the little ball of person. The smaller man wasn’t okay, based on a short list Clint comprised: Tony’s hair was greasy and his eyes were red, with a face that was sullen and shoulders that hung low. And... y’know... the liquor bottle he was holding.

“Can I see that?”

Tony nodded sadly and passed it over.

“Did you-“

“No.”

“Because that would su-“

“I know.”

Tony was a year and a half sober. Clint couldn’t imagine what could be so bad for him to get that close to ruining his streak, so he asked.

“I was too late.”

“For...?”

“For Steve.”

Clint sighed and banged his head on the wall.

“They aren’t together, Tony. You still have a cha-“

“Please don’t,” Tony pleaded, and Clint stopped to think.

Bucky and Steve had gotten close all right, but as far as Clint knew... Tony laid his head on Clint’s shoulder and sniffled.

“Tony...”

“Please?”

Clint exhaled in defeat and wrapped his arm around the brunette, who snuggled in closer. Tony’s breath was too hot on Clint’s neck, and his arm would go numb soon, but it was worthwhile.

“So what’re we supposed to do,” Clint pondered.

“Let’s just stay here.”

“We can’t do that.”

“I can do what I want, I’m rich.”

“So you’re just gon’ leave me behind?”

“Depends how long you’ll let me stay.”

“Depends if I fall asleep or not.”

Tony chuckled mournfully and Clint’s heart broke.

“We’re gonna be okay, Tones.”

Tony hummed noncommittally, and nothing but little sniffles filled the room for a long while after that.

—————

Tony and Clint woke up the next morning with aches everywhere.

“Man, fuck you. I’m never comforting anyone ever again.”

Tony shrugged and hopped down the stairs.

“Thank you... thanks for staying.”

Clint looked down to Stark and smiled. He always wondered who made Tony think the way he did. Who made him think he had to thank his friends for being nice? Clint thought of the millions of ways he’d been ruined in the circus. Suddenly, the idea of thanking friends didn’t seem so unnatural. Clint pat Tony’s shoulder and the two continued their journey to the tower’s shared space.

Suddenly, though, the two were interrupted with a racket in the living room. The muffled noises seemed incoherent and erratic, was someone being hurt?

Clint peaked over the corner and snapped back. Nope. No one’s hurt.

“Tony, let’s uh... let’s go and find Nat, or Bruce, neither of which are very sympathetic, but we can try!”

Tony huffed a laugh and pushed past into the room.

“Tony!” But he was too late.

Tony was standing in front of a shirtless Steve on top of Bucky on the main couch. Clint tripped next to Tony and tried to tug him away. When that failed, he cleared his throat. The two men stopped abruptly. And good God had they fucking started. Steve could get hickies? That was possible?

“Clint! Tony! Um...”

Steve sat up and his body rippled. Bucky groaned at Steve putting his shirt back on and pawed at the blonde.

“What? No, bad shirt.”

Steve glared and stood to look at the opposing two.

“Is something wrong?”

Clint and Tony stood in stunned silence. But... Steve had eyes for Stark? What happened to that?

“No... no... everything’s fine. Uh... sorry,” Tony mumbled and started to back away.

“Tony? What? Come here!”

Tony startled and they both froze.

“Tony...” “Not now, Steve. N-not ever...”

With that, Stark vanished and left Steve mid step.

“Clint-“

“No, fuck you, Steve.”

“Clint, you know it was-“

“Fuck off, Steve.”

And Clint followed Tony out the room.

—————

Bruce, Clint, Nat, Thor, and Tony all sat in a quiet circle in Natasha’s bedroom.

The walls were blank, save for a few crayon drawings presumably given to her by fans. Her comforter was light and had a world map on it with famous cities labeled, matching with white pillows neatly stacked. Clint was reminded of the moment a few months after they met and Nat had opened up for the first time.

(“I wanted to travel the world when I grew up.”

Clint had raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it was before the Red Room ruined me. I dreamt of Bohemian oceans and Mayan pyramids every night.”

“Sounds nice. Dreams are good for kids.”

“It was.”)

“So... Steve and Bucky...”

“Nat,” Clint chided.

“What, Clint? That’s the elephant in the room! That’s why you’re all here, taking up all my space!”

Thor sighed but they all knew she wasn’t upset at them. Her eyes were frantically switching between everyone and her left pinkie tapped up and down absentmindedly. She was anxious for Tony.

“Did anyone see this happening,” Bruce queried and everyone shook their heads in response.

The group was still for what seemed like hours until Tony stood up hastily. Thor gently tugged at Stark’s pajama leg but was shrugged off.

“Fuck off Thor. You too, Nat. And Bruce and Clint. Fuck Steve and fuck Barnes and fuck everyone. Fuck this.”

With that, Tony withdrew to his own hurricane with a door slam that made Clint flinch. The absolute anguish that waded in Tony’s voice was tearing at Clint’s physique, and based on everyone’s expressions, he wasn’t alone.

Bruce sniffed and squinted through his square glasses, then spoke with a shaky voice,

“Uh, I guess we all take shifts with keeping an eye on him. We make sure he doesn’t hurt... h-himself. Um, we’ll have JARVIS give us all hourly updates so we aren’t in the dark,”

“Yes, master Banner,” JARVIS solemnly agreed.

“and we’ll keep Steve at bay, because he’ll obviously want to see him... uh, are we all good?”

Murmurs resounded in the circle and Bruce nodded.

“I’ll take first shift. We’ll go alphabetically, so Clint, you’re next.”

Clint curtly shook his head in obedience.

Bruce cleared his throat and looked to everyone.

“Meeting is uh... it’s adjourned.”

Bruce finished and Thor helped him up off the floor. After hugging for a moment, the two shuffled out, leaving Clint in their wake.

He stood in anticipation and rocked side to side, not wanting to leave. Natasha huffed and gestured to the bed.

“Save room for me,” she conceded and walked into her personal bathroom.

It was one of those days.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed :) I’m not sorry<3


End file.
